초록 ▼

An appliance, such as a refrigerator, includes a drawer mounted within a cabinet for movement between an opened position and a closed position. A driving mechanism, including an electric motor and a transmission assembly, connects to the drawer for driving the drawer between the opened position and

An appliance, such as a refrigerator, includes a drawer mounted within a cabinet for movement between an opened position and a closed position. A driving mechanism, including an electric motor and a transmission assembly, connects to the drawer for driving the drawer between the opened position and the closed position. The driving mechanism has an engaged state wherein the drawer is power driven by the driving mechanism between the opened and closed positions and a disengaged state wherein the drawer is manually movable between the opened and closed positions.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A powered drawer, comprising:a drawer mounted for movement between a closed position and an open position; anda driving mechanism connected to said drawer for driving of said drawer between said closed position and said open position, said driving mechanism having an engaged s

What is claimed is: 1. A powered drawer, comprising:a drawer mounted for movement between a closed position and an open position; anda driving mechanism connected to said drawer for driving of said drawer between said closed position and said open position, said driving mechanism having an engaged state wherein said drawer is power driven by said driving mechanism between said closed and said open positions and a disengaged state wherein said drawer is manually movable between said closed and said open positions, said driving mechanism including:an electric motor, and a transmission assembly comprising an output shaft of a motor shaft including a toothed gear selectively meshingly engaged with a toothed section of a driven member to move said driven member in said a first direction to open said drawer and a second direction to close said drawer, said transmission assembly including a clutch mechanism for selectively meshingly engaging said toothed gear with said toothed section of said driven member, the clutch mechanism comprising a movably mounted clutch plate on which said electric motor is fixedly mounted, said clutch plate movable between a first position in which said toothed gear meshingly engages said toothed section of said driven member and a second position in which said toothed gear disengages said toothed section of said driven member, said clutch plate urged toward said second position; and a solenoid actuator that, when actuated, overcomes said urging of said clutch plate toward said second position and moves said clutch plate toward said first position, said driving mechanism in said engaged state when said clutch plate is in said first position and in said disengaged state when said clutch plate is in said second position.